American's parent company, Fort Worth-based AMR Corp., has been in bankruptcy since November. In San Antonio, the broad consensus is that an AMR merger with Tempe, Ariz.-based U.S. Airways merger would be a good move.

If it happens, the American Airlines name is expected to survive.

American has been a critical airline for San Antonio passengers for decades because of its connecting routes to American's hubs in Dallas and Chicago. It has served San Antonio for half a century, and has been the second-largest airline in passenger percentage since Southwest Airlines became the dominant San Antonio airline.

Southwest had a 39.9 percent passenger share in 2011 at San Antonio International Airport. American was second with 17.5 percent. United and Continental airlines completed their merger late in 2011. United/Continental had a combined 17.1 percentage last year. U.S. Airways had only a 1.8 percent passenger share last year.

American's financially painful bankruptcy process, which other legacy airlines already have experienced, likely will lead to employee pay cuts, lower yields or losses for investors and reduced retiree benefits. But a merger with U.S. Airways would result in a stronger airline for San Antonio.

The two airlines operate complementary hubs. American's hubs include Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and New York, while U.S. Airways operates hubs in Phoenix, Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C.

If the merger happens, the combined airlines may shrink or expand hubs “as they think of themselves as a system,” Butler said. In San Antonio, inbound and outbound passengers would see little differences in routes and number of flights, though fares may go up over the long term because of one less competing airline, Butler said.

San Antonio International Airport would have to find a way to combine the gates now operated by the two airlines in the two separate terminals. As of July 1, the former United gate in Terminal A was moved to Terminal B, where Continental operated, to join those gates.

“We would look at gate configurations if the merger happens. We might shift gates for other airlines. We have the ability to do that,” said Prossen, airport marketing and community relations director.

U.S. Airways' biggest interest in the possible merger is American's larger international route system, Butler said. Prossen agreed. “They would try to compete with United and Delta. They're going into a global network. International is more profitable than domestic,” Prossen said.

“San Antonio won't see a reduction in flights,” Barros said of the possible American/U.S. Airways combination, before concluding: “The merger is something they can't avoid.”